Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Lent Penitential Service

  Fri 20 Mar 2026

  Lent Penitential Service

   

  The whole school family gathered together with Fr Richard and Fr Peter (Mission Priest) for our Lenten Reconciliation Service. It was a time to reflect on our behaviours and say sorry for when we have made poor choices – knowing that we are always loved by God. It was  beautiful service with singing and reflection led by the children in KS2.  A particular congratulations to the children in Year 3 who have today celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. We are very proud of you all.

  

• Letter From Mrs O'Rourke

  Fri 06 Mar 2026

  Dear Families,

  As we begin Term 4, it has been wonderful to see such a positive and purposeful start across the school. The children have returned with great enthusiasm for their learning and have been working hard in every classroom. We have been particularly proud of the determination and effort they have shown across the whole curriculum, embracing new challenges and striving to do their very best.

  This week has also brought some very special news for our school community. Following our OPAL audit with Helen Easton, we are delighted to share that St John’s Catholic Primary School has achieved the Platinum Level Award. This is a significant recognition of our commitment to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to play, explore and develop through high-quality outdoor provision each day. Play is such an important part of children’s wellbeing, creativity and social development, and we are incredibly proud of the opportunities available to our pupils. My sincere thanks go to our staff team, children and wider school community whose dedication and support have made this possible. In particular, I would like to thank the parents who were able to support the sand pit – including Mr & Mrs Davies who dedicated time, energy and muscle to the project. We are so grateful for the payment of the digger hire and your workforce! Stronger Together. In addition, Mr Butler, Mr Potem and Mr Zhuravel gave up their time and energy to support the importance of play for every child.

  We must share our thanks for the donations from The Friends which have ensured we could purchase the incredible reading cabin on the school site. This will provide a beautiful space for all children to rest, relax and read during their lunch break. We are currently working on ensuring the space is safe and equipped to be used – photos to follow!

  I am pleased to share a message we received from Michael Follett

  ‘I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations on your recent achievement in gaining an OPAL award at St John's Catholic Trowbridge. Changing the culture of an organisation is not easy but you have done it, to become one of the best schools in the country for the quality of your playtime provision. Along the way I am sure you have had ups and downs dealing with the common issues of rain and mud, tidying-up and broken loose parts, but the fact that you have gained an award proves you have succeeded in transforming playtimes for all your children.

  Best wishes Michael Follett OPAL Director.

  In the coming weeks we will share a date in the summer term when we will invite parents and the wider community to celebrate the Platinum Play Award alongsravelide the children.

  As we move quickly into the second week of the season of Lent, our children have been reflecting deeply on how they can live out their faith through action. This year we are working alongside the Little Vinnies charity with a Lenten focus of “Heart to Heart.” Through prayer, discussion and their learning in school, the children have been considering how they can respond to the call to care for others, particularly by thinking about what they can do to help stop the spread of loneliness in our society. It has been inspiring to hear their thoughtful ideas about small acts of kindness, reaching out to others, and showing compassion within our school and wider community. We are excited to see how the children will live out this message in the weeks ahead.

  Within the parish of St John the Baptist, we will also be embarking on our Parish Mission Week beginning on 9th March. This will be a special time for our parish community to come together in prayer, reflection and renewal of faith. As part of this, children in UKS2 will have the opportunity to attend Mass during the week, which will be a wonderful experience for them to deepen their faith and feel part of the wider parish community. For further details about the Parish Mission Week and the events taking place, please refer to the parish website.

  Finally, a future date for your diary is Wednesday 20th May, when we will be holding our Mission Review Evening from 7.00pm – 8.30pm. Parents, governors and members of our wider community are warmly invited to join us for an evening of reflection and conversation, accompanied by wine and cheese. During this session we will come together to reflect on the mission of St John’s Catholic Primary School and consider how we continue to live out our values as a faith-filled community. This is an invaluable opportunity for you to have your voice heard and to help shape the future direction of our school. We look forward to welcoming you to this important event.

  We look forward to all that this term will bring and thank you, as always, for your continued support.

  Mrs O’Rourke

• St. John’s School Wins Top Platinum Award for Outstanding Playtimes

  Fri 06 Mar 2026

  St. John’s School Wins Top Platinum Award for Outstanding Playtimes

   

  St John’s Primary School in Trowbridge is celebrating after being awarded the OPAL Platinum Award, the highest level of accreditation in the Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) programme.

   

  The award recognises schools that provide outstanding play opportunities for children and have embedded high-quality play across the whole school environment. Following a full audit of playtimes, St John’s was recognised for its creative play spaces, rich use of loose parts, and a culture that encourages children to explore, imagine and play together across year groups.

   

  Children at the school now enjoy a wide range of play opportunities including den building, sand and water play, wheeled play, climbing, digging and nature exploration. The programme has helped transform playtimes into active, creative and inclusive experiences for all pupils.

   

  

• World Book Day

  Fri 06 Mar 2026

  World Book Day

   

  Yesterday (Thursday 5th March), St John’s celebrated World Book Day in style! Children and staff arrived at school dressed as their favourite book characters, filling the classrooms with colour, creativity and excitement. The day began with a whole-school assembly led by Mrs O’Rourke, who was wonderfully dressed as Bluey, where she introduced the purpose of World Book Day – to remind us all that reading is both fun and enjoyable.

   

  Throughout the day, the children took part in a range of activities designed to inspire a love of reading. These included book-themed quizzes, quiet time to sit and enjoy a good book, designing their very own National Book Token, and creative writing inspired by the magic that a great story can bring.

   

  At the end of the day, each child took home a reading poster or bookmark filled with recommendations of great books to explore, a special key symbolising that reading unlocks the world for us, and a £1 book token to spend. To make the day even more special, the Friends of St John’s kindly gifted every child a book – thank you!

   

  What a wonderful day celebrating the joy and power of reading! 📚✨

  

• Letter From Mrs O'Rourke

  Fri 13 Feb 2026

  Dear Families,

  As we reach the end of Term 3, we pause to celebrate what has been a truly wonderful and productive term in our school community. Across every year group, we have seen so many examples of success, perseverance and incredible progress in learning. From improved confidence in the classroom to achievements in sport, music and wider enrichment opportunities, our children continue to grow not only academically but also in faith, kindness and resilience. We are very proud of them all.

  The half-term break now offers a valuable opportunity for rest and recovery. After such a busy and fruitful term, this is a time to slow down, enjoy family moments and return refreshed for the term ahead.

  As we begin the next half term, we enter the sacred season of Lent. We mark this important time in the Church’s year with the celebration of Shrove Tuesday, followed by Ash Wednesday. Lent is a special period of prayer, reflection and preparation as we journey towards Easter. We look forward to sharing this meaningful season with the children and helping them to grow in faith and understanding.

  We would also like to inform parents that the Online Safety Workshop, originally planned for last Monday, will be rearranged in the Summer Term due to very low attendance. Online safety is an increasingly important area, with rapid changes in technology and social media presenting new challenges for families. We strongly encourage all parents and carers to make a determined effort to engage with these workshops, particularly around online safety, as there is so much for adults to be aware of in order to support and protect our children effectively. Working together, we can ensure our children are safe, informed and responsible users of technology.

  Thank you, as always, for your continued support of our school community. We wish you all a restful and joyful half-term break and look forward to welcoming everyone back, refreshed and ready for the journey through Lent.

   

  Mrs O’Rourke

  Headteacher

• Year 4 Trip to Braeside

  Fri 13 Feb 2026

  Year 4 Trip to Braeside

   

  Year 4s rose to the challenge of their residential stay at Braeside last week. It was more than the average school trip as children had to prepare themselves for a night away from home, a couple of days packed with activities (that did not include a device) and some challenges that they were meeting for the first time. For instance, in order to abseil they had to climb to the height of the average two storey house with wooden blocks as foot and hand holds (strapped into a harness though) - then take on the challenge of going down a sheer wall with a rope and harness as their only support. Although the instructors, and the child's group, did a great job of reassuring and motivating them as they came down to earth. This was what it was truly about for each individual - finding and getting the strength from within, from our Catholic faith and from others in the St John's family. Well done Year 4s for living the spirit of adventure.

  

• Letter From Mrs O'Rourke

  Fri 30 Jan 2026

  Dear Families,

  As we journey through the darker months of January, I continue to be deeply impressed by the way our children are approaching their learning with such enthusiasm, resilience, and joy. Even on the coldest and greyest of days, the classrooms are filled with light — the light of curiosity, kindness, and a genuine love of learning that reflects our shared values as a Catholic community.

  Thank you all for your wonderful contributions to Blue Monday and Zoo Monday. These have brought such positive energy, smiles, and rays of hope to our Monday mornings this term. It has been a joy to see the children arriving with excitement and creativity, reminding us that small acts can lift spirits and strengthen our sense of togetherness.

  We are now looking forward to Shoe Monday (children invited to wear their favourite pair of shoes) on Monday 2nd February, followed by the much-anticipated Kazoo (each child gifted with their own kazoo – please do not buy a kazoo) on Monday 9th February. These moments of shared fun play an important role in nurturing joy and connection within our school family.

  This coming week also marks a very special milestone for our Year 4 children, who will be heading off on their first residential away from home to Braeside Adventure Centre in Devizes. This is an exciting opportunity for them to grow in independence, courage, and friendship. We cannot wait to hear all about how they rise to new challenges, support one another, and experience success through love, prayer, and plenty of laughter. We are always so grateful to the committed and passionate staff team who give up their own time to support such an important event for the children.

  This week we have had safe delivery of our reading shepherds hut which has landed on the school field. Going forward this will allow all children to have access to a safe space to read and relax on the school field during their lunchtime. We are always so grateful to the Friends of St John’s who have supported with the cost of the purchase of this provision for all children. We are excited about the new opportunities this will offer!

  Before I close please ensure you check your diaries and are able to attend the online parent/grandparent zoom workshop on Monday 9^th February at 7pm. This will be a wonderful opportunity for you to be upskilled in managing to live alongside the demands of the technical world and how to support your child. I cannot encourage you enough to engage with this opportunity – Richard Pomfreet is an incredible national consultant and speaker – I guarantee you will come away with some new skills and/or knowledge!  During the school day children in KS2 will be working alongside Richard but the parent zoom meeting is for every parent – including those with the youngest children. The link can be found on the attachment.

  As always, thank you for your continued support, encouragement, and partnership. Together, we help our children to grow not only in knowledge, but also in faith and character.

  With every blessing,

  Mrs O’Rourke

• Shepherd's Hut

  Fri 30 Jan 2026

  Shepherd's Hut

   

  On Wednesday afternoon, we took delivery of a Shepherd's Hut! This Shepherd's hut has very kindly been paid for by the Friends of St John's. It will be positioned on our field and will be open to all children every day during lunchtime. This space is going to be used as a reading cabin. We are very excited to see it in action and see our children enriching their play with it! Thank you to the Friends of St John's, and all the parents who kindly donate to their pot! 

  

• Celebrating Our Children at Sunday Children’s Mass

  Fri 30 Jan 2026

  Celebrating Our Children at Sunday Children’s Mass

   

  Following Sunday’s Children’s Mass, we were delighted to receive a lovely message from a parishioner, praising the children who took part as readers, singers and musicians.

  They described the Mass as an uplifting and prayerful experience, and commented on how confidently and reverently the children participated. The parishioner also shared how impressed they were by the children, describing them as wonderful ambassadors for their school and families.

  Moments like this show how our children are living out our Catholic values by serving others, sharing their gifts, and playing an active role in parish life. We are incredibly proud of all the pupils who took part, as well as the families who supported the Children’s Mass and helped make it such a meaningful celebration.

  Please join us in congratulating the children and thanking staff for supporting them in growing as confident, faith-filled members of our school and parish community.

• Letter From Mrs O'Rourke

  Fri 16 Jan 2026

  Welcome to the New Term and New Year

  Dear Families,

  Happy New Year and welcome to the start of a new term and a new calendar year. As we begin this season together, we hope that the Christmas period offered your families time for rest, joy and reflection, and moments to celebrate the light and hope of Christ with those closest to you.

  It has been a real pleasure to welcome the children back to school. They have returned calm, settled and eager to learn, and they look extremely smart. Thank you for your continued support with high standards of uniform and presentation; this helps to foster a sense of pride and belonging within our school community.

  Although we are only at the beginning of the term, it has already been a busy and positive start, with many successes evident in classrooms and across school life. We are proud of the way our pupils live out our school values each day through kindness, respect and care for one another.

  Wellbeing, Hope and Light in the Winter Months

  The winter months, with their shorter days and darker mornings, can sometimes be challenging. Research reminds us that many people may experience feelings of tiredness or low mood during this time of year. As a Catholic school, we are called to be a community of hope, compassion and light, ensuring that no one feels alone and that everyone feels supported.

  With this in mind, we have planned a series of simple, joyful activities to help lift spirits and remind us that even in darker seasons, there is always light, laughter and togetherness.

   

  Monday Mood Boosters – Our Planned Activities

  Blue Monday – Monday 19th January

  Monday 19th January is often referred to as Blue Monday. To mark this day positively, children and adults are invited to wear one blue item of their choice, such as blue socks, a jumper, trousers or a small accessory. Normal school uniform should be worn alongside this item.

  This activity provides a gentle opportunity to acknowledge emotions, encourage conversation and remind our children that we care for one another.

   

  Zoo Monday – Monday 26th January

  On Zoo Monday, children are invited to wear one animal- or zoo-themed item, such as an animal jumper, animal-print socks, a headband or a hat. This is an optional and fun way to bring a sense of joy and creativity into the school day, while still wearing school uniform.

   

  Shoe Monday – Monday 2nd February

  For Shoe Monday, children may come to school wearing their favourite pair of shoes or trainers. These should be suitable for safe movement around school. All other aspects of school uniform should be worn as normal.

   

  Kazoo Monday – Monday 9th February

  Our final themed Monday before half term will be Kazoo Monday. Children will be challenged to learn a simple kazoo tune, which they will then have the opportunity to play together to the whole school on the last day of term. This shared experience will be a joyful way to celebrate confidence, creativity and community.

   

  Starting Each Week with Positivity

  We hope that these small gestures will help to create a positive start to each school week, strengthening relationships and nurturing wellbeing. As a Catholic community, we believe in walking together, supporting one another and sharing joy, particularly during times that may feel more challenging.

   

  Thank you, as always, for your continued support and partnership. Please keep our school community in your prayers as we journey through this term together.

   

  Yours sincerely,

  Mrs O’Rourke

  Headteacher